Sister of tragic Leeds student launches national campaign: Boy, 15, was stressed due to exams

THE heartbroken sister of a straight-A Leeds student who committed suicide aged 15 due to exam stress has launched a national campaign to prevent it happening again.

Morley Bruntcliffe Academy student Daniel Long hanged himself in February 2017 after he developed acute anxiety whilst revising for his GCSEs.

An inquest at Wakefield Coroner’s Court last September heard Daniel, of Gildersome, was pronounced brain dead and tragically died in hospital two days later.

Daniel became obsessed with revising for his GCSEs in January 2017 and spent up to four hours a night studying but still panicked he would forget the content.

Together with her mother Emma Oliver, his sister Chelsea has put together the ‘Problem Shared’ campaign for there to be access to a qualified counsellor in every secondary school in the UK.

Chelsea, who believes this could have saved Daniel’s life, said: “Children at that age that are taking exams at school are especially important, the pressure on them is massive and there are so many other pressures outside of exams, too.

“I think a counsellor in school may have saved Daniel’s life. It would have helped.” Chelsea hopes the campaign, which has raised money through events including raffles and a gala, will stop other families from suffering a similar tragedy. Chelsea presented a £10,000 cheque to Martin House Children’s Hospice last weekend. The next aim is to raise enough money to purchase a £5,000 ‘cuddle blanket’ for Leeds General Infirmary.

To support the campaign visit: www.facebook.com/walkandtalksuicideawareness/.